Submarine life saving apparatus



1934- D. A. VIVEIROS 1,980,647

SUBMARINE LIFE SAVING APPARATUS 7 Filed Aug. 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet lNov. 13, 1934.

' D, A. VIVEIROS 1,980,647

SUBMARINE LIFE SAVING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 5. 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

41 i 62 I mu 3a 35 li qi 1 11661 Patented Nov. 13, 1934 UNITED STATESPATENT O ICE] '1 Claims.

My present invention relates to submarine life saving apparatus and moreparticularly to a device which may be utilized to indicate the positionof a sunken submarine as well as being'able to provide for theestablishment of contact with the submarine from outside sources.

Since a submarine may become disabled due to any one of a number ofcauses and also since the extent of the trouble may vary considerably1,0 and can never be determined beforehand with any-degree of certainty,it becomes necessary when attempting to establish contact with thesubmerged vessel to provide apparatus which will meet any one or ifneeds be all of the obstacles which may be encountered. It is desirablethat the device be capableof being operated by a rescuing party workingto some extent in cooperation with the trapped crew in the submarine orif necessary it must be capable of being operated entirely by therescuing party as in the case where all members of the crew in thesubmarine are incapacitated. There should be provision for contactingwith the submerged vessel at several different points on the hull and inevery instance be able to effect a suitable passageway into and out ofthe disabled vessel. All of these considerations are further topped bythe requirement that such a device can be practically and infalliblyapplied under all kinds of weather and working conditions. The presentdevice has been designed having the above conditions and diificulties inmind and is thought to effectually cope with them in every instance.

The principal object of my invention is therefore an improved submarinelife saving apparatus.

Another object is an apparatus which can provide contact from theoutside with a sunken submarine and also provide a means for indicatingthe position of the submerged vessel.

Another object is a device of the above specified qualifications whichis capable of being independently and completely operated by a rescuingparty on the outside.

Still another object is a device of the above character which is adaptedto be applicable at various points on the hull of a disabled submarine.

Still another object is an apparatus of theabove specifiedcharacteristics which will be completely effective under practicalworking conditions in any kind of Weather.

Other objects and novel features comprising the construction andoperation of my invention will appear as the description of the sameprogresses.

In the drawings illustrating'the preferred embodiment of my invention Ir V Fig. 1 shows a diving bell partly in cross-section and also across-section of a fragmentaryportion I of a submarine hull in which arerespectively mounted the male and female units of the apparatus with afloat member associated with female unit disposed at a water line andthe male unit appearing just previous to the actual establishment ofcontact. 1 w I Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken vertically through thecentral axis of the female unit of the apparatus.

Fig. 3'is a plan cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the completely assembled apparatus takencentrally through its axis showing the. engagement of the male andfemale units prior to opening a passageway therethrough.

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4showing a locking plate arrangement.

Fig. 6 is another vertical cross-section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4showing means for locking the male unit extremity within the femaleunit.

Fig. 7 is an outer end elevation of the male unit and Fig. 8 is an outerend elevation of the'female unit. Y

Referring more in detail to the drawings 10 indicates'a conventionaltype of diving bell provided with a hose 10a located under water andhaving mounted in its side or other convenient portion what may begenerally termed as the male unit of the complete apparatus andindicated by the numeral 11. 12 represents a fragmentary portion of thehull of a submarine shown in crosssection and located likewise underwater and nearby the diving bell 10. Mounted in the hull 12, is a secondpart of my apparatus 13 which in a similar manner will be hereafterreferred to in general as the female unit of the apparatus. Associatedwith the hull 12 is a float member 14 supported on the surface of thewater indicated and regarding which further description will b set forthhereinafter.

The diving bell 10 which houses the male unit of the apparatus has beenproposed as one of 'sevv eral modifications by which the male unit couldbe directed into engagement with the female unit and only requires thatsome form of glass window or observation panel be provided above thearea wherein the male unit is located. Another modi- 1 fication which itis considered mightbe applicable in this connection would be a smallboat capable of operating under Water to the extent of havingself-propulsion such as would facilitate the bringing together andlocking of the two units specified.

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged cross-section of the female unit comprising acylindrical housing 15 provided with a flanged portion 16' which isadapt ed to seat against the exterior of the hull 12 of a submarine orif desired could be recessed in the hull 12. The housing 15 extendsthrough the hull inwardly to a point at which it could be contacted withby members of the crew located in that section of the submarine. Locatedon the inner edge of the housing 15 is a bracket portion 16a in which ishinged a man-hole cover '17 having an outer recessed flange portion18"adapted to seat tightly against the inner face 19 of the housing 15.Axially located through the manhole cover 1'7 is a bushing20 having asquare nut portion 21 formed onits outer periphery adjacent the innerside of the man-hole cover 17. Solidly mounted on the nut portion 21 ofthe bushing 20 is a key-plate 22 which is firmly maintained against theinner side of the man-hole covervl'l by means of a'nut 23 threaded overthe inner extremity of the bushing 20. The key-plate 22 has itsouterperiphery formed with three outwardly extending lug sections 25which are adapted to enter thehousing 15 and engage over complementarylug sections 26 formed on the inner periphery of the housing member 15.At some point on one of the lugs 26 is provided an upstanding postelement 27 against which the keyplate 22 is rotated by means of aspanner wrench arrangement not shown adapted to engage with the plate 22at the openings 28 provided on the face thereof. Threaded over the outerextremity of the bushing 20 is a second .nut 24 adapted to clamp theman-hole cover and key-plate together on the said bushing 20. It is tobe noted that the assembly of the man-hole. cover 17 and key-plate 22may be released by loosening either ofthe nuts 23 or .24 therebyproviding a very flexible adjustment means for releasing the man-holecover which could either be operated by members of the crew within thesubmarine or by members of the rescuing party from the outside as willbe better understood after the description of the male unit followingand this feature becomes'a'practical necessity in those cases Where allmembers of the submarine crew are incapacitated.

The inner periphery of the flange 16 is beveled to form a seating forafloat member 14 located thereagainst. The float member 14 comprisesaconically formed shell extending inwardly into the housing 15 and isprovided with an inner face plate 30 having an opening therein throughwhich passes a cable member 31. Within the shell portion of floatmember'14 is mounted a spool unit 32 upon which the cable 31 is carriedandithe lat-' ter member has one extremity grooved along the peripheryof the float member and extending. out-v ward to become secured at someconvenient point on the submarine hull as 33. The face plate 30 isfurther constructed with a threaded opening centrally located therein.Internally threaded through the bushing 20 is an adjustment bolt 34having its innerextremity extending beyond the bushing and providedwith. a threaded butt portion 35 adapted to engage with the centralopening in the face plate to the extent of not more than one completeturn and oppositely pitched with respect to thepitch of the threads onthe adjustment .bolt 34' engaging with the bushing ,20

bolt 55.

so that the first full turn given to the bolt 34 will disengage the buttportion 35 from the face plate 30 and further'turns will cause theadjustment bolt to advance through the bushing 20 against the face plate30 and thereby force the float member 29 outward breaking the sealbetween the fioat and the beveled edge of the housing 15 to the effectthat the float member will be free to pass upwards to the surface of thewater. By these means it would be possible for the disabled vessel toindicate its position under water and if for any reason the float wasnot released, itsconstruction must necessarily be, such that a divercould easily release it after the ship had been located by some longermethod.

Referring now to the male unit 11 of my apparatus as shown in Fig. 4, 35indicates an outer cylindrical housing member provided with a flangeportion 36 adapted to seat against the exterior of a diving bell throughwhich the housing member 35 is mounted. Internally mounted through thehousing member. 35 is a cylindrical bushing member 37 having its outerperiphery partially threaded to the eiiect that the bushing 37 isrotatably and slidably disposed in the housing 35. The inner face of thehousing member 35 is formed with two yoke portions 33-and 39. R0-tatably mounted on the bushing 3'? adjacent the inner face of thehousing member is a locking ring member 40 provided with an opening 41adapted toyreceive a bar lever 42 for the purpose of rotating thelocking ring. Adjacent the looking ring 40 and encircling the bushing 37but not engaging with it is a yoke ring member 43 provided with yokeportions 45 and 44 symmetrically disposed with respect to the yokeportions 38 and 39.? Located between the yoke portions 38 and 45 is ablock member 46 secured therebetween by means of a bolt 47. Similarly ablock member 48 is located between the yoke portions 39 and 44 andsecured by a bolt 49. Adjacent the yoke ring 43 and about the innerextremity of the bushing 37 has been solidly pressed on an adjustmentring 50 provided with an opening 51 adapted to receive a second barlever 52 for the purpose of r0 tating the bushing member 3'7.Outstandingfrom the face of the adjustment ring 50 is mounted a post 52about which is pivoted a locking bar 53 having a hooked extremityadapted to engage with the post 54 oppositely disposed on the face ofthe adjustment ring. Centrally threaded through the locking'bar 53 is anadjustment bolt 55 provided with a conical point. Internally raised onthe inner periphery of the bushing 37 is a valve seating 56 againstwhich is disposed a valve 57 provided with a spindle portion 58extending rearwardly through the bushing 37 to a point adjacent to theextremity of the The spindle extremity is conically recessed for. thepurpose of receiving the conical point of the adjustment bolt 55 and isadapted to be solidly held against the valve seating 56 when the bolt.55 is tightened.

The outer extremity of the bushing 3'? is provided with a recessedengaging male portion 60 adapted to facilitate engagement of the maleunit within the housing of the female unit. Located on the outerperiphery of the male portion 60 and outstanding therefrom are three lugportions 59 formed with curved engaging surfaces 61 and proand adaptedto receive the locking pins62 there-' submarine to the rescue craft.

in when the male portion 60 has been properly seated by means of theadjustment ring and further compressed rearwardly into place by means ofthe locking ring 40.

In operation, assuming that a submarine had become disabled under water,the first step would be to release the float member 14 which would beeffected by rotating the bolt member 34. The next step would be tolocate a rescue ship as near to the disabled ship as possible and lowera diving bell or other apparatus previously discussed equipped with themale unit of my apparatus near the vicinity of the submarine. Inpractice it would probably prove advantageous to employ the services ofa diver for purposes of bringing the two vessels together and enteringthe male unit through the housing of the female unit. As soon as solidcontact had been effected, the two units would be drawn together withflange 16 seating tightly against flange 36 and the male portion 50taking a position in the housing 15 ahead of the lugs 63 and furtherrotation of the locking ring 40 would compress the male portion 60rearwardly against the lugs 63 solidly locking the same into place. Itis to be noted that the entire operation so far could be successfullycarried out with no help or signals from the inside of the submarine. Assoon as the two units are locked together, the compression bolt isreleased and the locking bar swun open and the valve 57 drawn outleaving a passageway open to the key-plate 22 in the housing 15.

By employing a spanner wrench arrangement, it is now possible to unscrewnut 23, release the key-plate 22 and disengage it from the lugs 26,allowing the man-hole cover 1'7 to be pivoted inwardly carrying thekey-plate with it and thereby providing a practical means of egress fromthe Obviously a reversal of the above described procedure would maize itpossible to reseal the opening in the submarine in a water-tight manner.It has been further proposed that several of the female units of theapparatus should be mounted in different sections of the submarine hullboth for the purpose of facilitating operations for any position inwhich the disabled vessel might be situated and for the purpose ofcontacting isolated compartments of the submarine locked outofcommunication with the rest of the ship. In the event that contactshould be established with a compartment of the submarine which hadbecome flooded, evidence of such a condition could easily be determinedby means of a stop-cock arrange ment located through the man-hole coverand adapted to be operated from the key-plate side before the finalsteps were taken. The engaging male portion 60 of the male unit 11 hasbeen partially surrounded with a beveled collar portion 64 forming apart of the housing 35 which is adapted to facilitate engagement of theunits 11 and 13 under varying conditions of oblique disposition in whichthe two units might be in respect to one another due to the particularlist of the disabled vessel when approached by the diving bell or othermode of rescue craft.

While I have shown a particular form of construction for the two unitsof the invention, it is to be understood that various modifications inthe construction and operation thereof be exercised while stillcontinuing to adhere to the original spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1 A submarine life saving apparatuscomprising the combination of ahousing member embedded in the wall of a submarine, a float memberadapted to fit inside said housing having its outer surface flush withthe exterior of the said housing in its normal position, a man-holecover hinged at the inner end of said housing, a screw shaft memberlocated in the center of said man-hole cover and axially disposed tosaid housing, the outer end of said shaft engaging in a threaded orificein the said float member, locking means surrounding said shaft member onsaid manhole cover and adapted to lock said man-hole cover to the innerend of said housing in a Water tight manner, means for unlocking saidman-hole cover from either side of man-hole cover, a second housingmember adapted to be attached to a diving bell having a male outercylinder adapted to engage inside of said submarine housing memher andlocking means attached to said male end and inner surface of submarinehousing member, a beveled valve seat and valve lip located onsaidsubmarine housing and diving bell housing respectively adapted to form aseal between the two said housings, means located inside of said divingbell and attached to said diving bell housing adapted to lock saiddiving bell housing tightly to said submarine housing member, a valvemember located axially within said diving bell housing adapted totightly close its exterior end and to remain closed until after the twosaid housings are solidly bonded together, means for releasing saidvalve and the removal of same from said diving bell housing, said valveretaining and re-' moving mecahnism comprising a compression memberlocated within said diving bell attached to the rear end of said maleportion of the said housing. I e

2. A submarine life saving apparatus comprising the combination of afemale unit embedded in the side wall, of a submarine and a male unitadapted to be associated with a diving bell and to engage with saidfemale unit, said female unit comprising a housing member, a floatmember recessed in said housing in a detachable manner, a

spool element mounted within said float member cover with respect tosaid housing in a threaded manner, said bushing provided with a squarenut portion adjacent the inner face of the said manhole cover, a keyplate mounted on the said square portion of the bushing member adaptedto lock the said man-hole cover in a closed position, means for clampingthe said key-plate and the man-hole cover together in a water-tightmanner, the said male unitcomprising a housing member mounted in thesaid diving bell, a cylindrical male element located within the saiddiving bell housing, locking mechanism associated with the saidcylindrical element adapted to adjust and lock the cylindrical maleelement extremity within the said female housing, a valve member adaptedto be removed from the interior of the said male element for the purposeof providing a communicating chamber from the said diving bell to thesaid locking mechanism associated with the manhole cover in the saidfemale unit, means for unlocking the said man-hole cover from the saiddiving bell.

3. A submarine life saving apparatus comprising the combination of afemale unit embedded in the wall of a submarine and a male unit adaptedto be associated with a diving bell and to engage with said female unit,said female unitcomprising a housing member, a float member recessed insaid housing in a sealed manner, a face plate located at the innerextremity of the saidfloat member having a threaded opening centrallylocated therein, a spool element mounted on said plate and within saidfloat member adapted to receive a cable element thereon, said cableelement having one extremity secured to the outside of the hull of thesaid submarine, a man-hole cover hinged to the inner end of the saidfemale housing, a bushing member axially disposed through the center ofthe said man-hole cover with respect to said housing in a threadedmanner,said bushing provided with a square nut portion adjacent theinner face of the said man-hole cover, a key-plate mounted on the saidsquare portion of the bushing member and provided with lug sections onthe outer edge thereof, lug elements located on the inner periphery ofthe said female housing member adapted to engage with the said lugsections ofthe key-plate and lock the said man-hole cover in a closedposition, means for clamping the key-plate and the manhole covertogether in a water-tight manner, a bolt member threaded through thebushing member adapted to engage with the said threaded opening in theface plate of the float member, the said male unit comprising a housingmember mounted in the said diving bell exterior, a cylindrical maleelement located within said diving bell housing, locking mechanismassociated with the said cylindrical element adapted to adjust and lockthe cylindrical male element extremity within the said female housing,-avalve member adapted to be removed from the interior of the said maleelement for the pur-x pose of providing a communicating chamber from thesaid bell to the locking mechanism associated with the man-hole cover inthe female unit, means for unlocking the said man-hole cover fromthesaid diving bell.

l. A submarine life saving apparatus comprising the combination of afemale unit embedded in the side wall of a submarine, a removable plateadapted to' seal said female unit on its inner side, a male unit"associated with a diving bell adapted to engage within said female unitcomprising a housing member mounted through the wall of thesaid divingbell, a cylindrical male element sildably and rotatably disposed in saidhousing, lockingmechanism associated with said cylindrical element onthe inner side of said diving bell adapted to lock the said maleandfemale units together in a water-tight condition, a valve memberadapted to be removed from the interior of the said male unit for thepurpose of providing a communicating chamber from the said diving bellto the locking mechanism on the removable plate in the femalemember,means for unlocking said removable plate from said diving bell.

*5. A submarine life saving apparatus comprising the combination of afemale unit embedded in the hull of a submarine, a removable plateadapted to seal said female unit on its inner side, a male unitassociated with a diving bell adapted to engage Within said female unit,said male unit comprising a housing member mounted through the wall ofthe said diving bell, a cylindrical male element slidably and rotatablymounted disposed in said housing, an adjustment ring solidly pressed onover the inner extremity of the said cylindrical element adapted torotate the said element in the said housing, a locking ring memberthreaded over the male element adjacent the said bell housing, thelatter provided with yoke portions adapted to receive boltstherethrough, a yoke ring disposed about said male element adjacent thesaid looking ring and provided with yoke portions adapted to engage withthe said bolts on the housing yo-kes, a valve member adapted to beremoved from the interior of the said male unit for the purpose ofproviding a communicating chamber from the said diving bell to thelocking mechanism on the removable plate in said female member, meansfor unlocking said removable plate from said diving bell.

6. A submarine life saving apparatus comprising the combination of afemale unit embedded in the hull of a submarine, a removable plateadapted to seal said female unit on its inner side, a male unitassociated with a diving bell adapted to engage within said female unit,said male unit comprising a housing member mounted through the wall ofthe said diving bell, a cylindrical male element slidably and rotatablydisposed in said housing, an adjustment ring solidly pressed on over theinner extremity of the said cylindrical element adapted to rotate the,said element in the said housing, a locking ring member threaded overthe male element adjacent the said bell housing, the latter providedwith yoke portions adapted to receive bolts therethrough, a yoke ringdisposed about the male element adjacent the 7 said locking ring andprovided with yoke portions adapted to engage with the said bolts on thelocking ring, a valve seating located on the inner periphery of saidcylindrical male element, a valve member adapted to seat against thesaid valve seating, a bar and compression bolt associated with saidvalve adapted to lock same within said male element, said valve memberadapted to be removed from the interior ofthe said male unit for thepurpose of providing a communicating chamber from the said diving bellto the locking mechanism on the removable plate in said female member,means for unlocking said removable plate from said diving bell.

7. A submarine life saving apparatus comprising the combination of afemale unit embedded in the side Wall of a submarine and a male unitadapted to be associated with a diving bell and to engage with saidfemale unit, said'female unit comprising a housing member, a floatmember recessed in said housing in a detachable manner, a face platelocated at the inner extremity of the said float member having athreaded opening centrally located therein, a spool element mounted onsaid plate and within said float member adapted to receive a cableelement thereon, said cable element having one extremity secured to eryof the said housing member adapted to engage with the said lug sectionsof the key-plate and lock the said man-hole cover in a closed position,means for clamping the said key-plate and the man-hole cover together ina water-tight WY manner, a bolt member threaded through the said bushingmember adapted to engage with the said threaded opening in the faceplate of the float member, the said male unit comprising a housingmember mounted through the wall of the said diving bell, a cylindricalmale element slidably and rotatably disposed in said housing, anadjustment ring solidly pressed on over the inner extremity of the saidcylindrical element adapted to rotate the said element in the said malehousing, a locking ring member threaded over the male element adjacentthe said male housing, said housing provided with yoke portions adaptedto receive bolts therethrough, a yoke ring disposed about the said maleelement adjacent the said locking ring and provided with yoke portionsadapted to engage with the said bolts on the looking ring, a valveseating located on the inner periphery of the said cylindrical maleelement, a valve member adapted to seat against said valve seating, abar and compression bolt associated with said valve adapted to lock samesolidly in place, said valve member adapted to be removed from theinterior of the said male element for the purpose of providing acommunicating chambe! from the said diving bell to the locking mechanismon the removable plate in said female unit, means for unlocking saidremovable plate from said diving bell.

BENTO A. VIVEIROS.

